


The Immortal One

by birdie7272



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Avatar & Benders Setting, Angst, Angst and Feels, Angst and Humor, Arthur is a firebender, Attempt at Humor, Bending (Avatar), HOW HAS THIS NOT BEEN DONE, Humor, M/M, Merlin is the avatar, Merthur - Freeform, Not a Crossover, but nothing else is written, it probably has but I couldn't find it, lay em on me, look i got plans for this, so if you have ideas
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-02
Updated: 2020-08-02
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:54:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,211
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25674679
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/birdie7272/pseuds/birdie7272
Summary: Arthur is on a quest to prove he is worthy of the Fire Kingdom crown.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 12
Kudos: 20





	The Immortal One

Merlin hung off the edge of the boat, letting the cool salty water spray his brow. He sucked in a large breath of fresh air and immediately hurled. 

The questionable stew was not the only regrettable decision he made as of late. 

If anyone asked, Merlin would admit he had gone off the deep end. 

If anyone asked, Merlin would never have boarded the ship. 

If anyone asked, Merlin never would have saved Prince Arthur Pendragon’s life. 

No one was asking. In fact, everyone around him was ordering. 

Merlin ran away from home. His mother was in danger every day he stayed with her. She found happiness on their small farm. Merlin was not about to force her to move yet again. Not when they had moved so much already. She had friends and sunshine and sheep. Merlin was old enough to go out on his own. He even had a plan. The legitimacy and intelligence of said plan was as questionable as the stew but it was a plan all the same. 

Gaius was a healer. A former waterbender, in the times before the war when healing with water was allowed. He lived in Camelot, the center of the Fire Kingdom. 

Merlin needed to learn firebending and needed a place to stay. It seemed like the perfect plan! 

He was wrong. 

He is adult enough to admit that. 

Sneaking into Camelot was easy because it was a night of celebration. The only night of celebration in Camelot. The anniversary of the Fire Kingdom’s rule under Uther Pendragon who had successfully stolen the throne 32 years ago. 

Stolen may not have been the word Uther used -he would say conquered or acquired- but it was stolen all the same. 

There was a feast and Merlin was excited to see what the Fire Kingdom had to offer. There was no lack of food or drink or entertainment. Merlin marveled at the fire jugglers and swooned at the explosions that sparkled in the night sky. Merlin had never seen firebending up close. It was exciting, marvelous, and dangerous. 

Before uttering more than a few hushed words with Gaius, the Prince of Camelot had to go and almost die. 

An airbender, full of fury and righteousness, screamed at the royals about equality and genocide. The wind spiralled in the room. It prickled Merlin’s skin and sent all his senses ablaze at once. It made him homesick. 

The airbender slicked out a hand and a knife flew on the edge of the air, sharp black blade glistening in the moonlight, on course to impale the prince’s big head. 

Merlin did not think. That truly was an ongoing problem. 

Merlin ran out and shoved the prince out of the way, toppling them both to the floor. If anyone saw the knife change direction slightly so that it simply slicked through Merlin’s red neckerchief instead of his jugular, no one said. 

Uther was so grateful to him for saving his son’s life that he appointed Merlin his manservant. 

The airbender was sentenced to a burning. It commenced that very night. Uther was the one to set the fire ablaze with nothing but a glare. No wood was needed to stoke it. 

Uther made sure Merlin was by Arthur’s side as they were sent out on their quest. 

Merlin truly thought that if Uther wanted to reward him, he could have done better. 

Prince Arthur, heir to the throne of the Fire Kingdom, was an arse. 

“We’ve been out here for ten mintues!” Arthur yelled at him from across the ship. “If you continue to be a pathetic little girl I’ll toss you overboard and let the sharks have at you!”

Merlin stared down into the murky depths. He hoped there were sharks. The minute he saw a fin he was going to push Arthur in. 

The ship gave another lurch. So did Merlin. 

Luckily there was someone worth speaking to on this ship. His name was Leon and he was Arthur’s right hand man. Though, really, he should have been the captain. 

Leon put a hand on his shoulder and shoved a tincture under his nose and told him to drink it down. 

Merlin still contemplated the probability of poison but it was still better than being stuck on this ship for another two weeks with that prat of a prince looming over him. 

Apparently, being manservant entailed emptying chamberpots, gathering food, dressing idiots, and putting up with a brash line of uncreative insults for hours on end. 

Merlin downed the drink in one go and spun his body around to face Arthur. “How do you expect me to not feel queasy when all I have to stare at is your ugly face?”

“Do you constantly forget who I am?” Arthur scoffed, as if he could not believe Merlin enough to laugh at him. “You can’t talk to me like that.”

“Apologies,” Merlin grunted, sounding anything but sorry. He mocked a bow and flourished a hand. “Thou doth have an ugly gob, Sire.”

Two weeks was bad enough but Arthur was not set to return to Camelot for another six months! Merlin was tempted to leave as soon as they hit solid ground and find a way back to Gaius himself, even if it involved a bit of swimming. However, there was one thing that kept him. 

Firebending. Merlin was awful at firebending. He never got it right and nearly set every home he and his mother ever had on fire at least twice just by lighting dinner. That was without his bending. 

It was the entire reason he went deep into Camelot in the first place. There was one firebender that excelled beyond the rest. One that was renowned for his ability to teach even the weakest of benders how to be the best of his knights. One that could control every lick of flames that spiralled from his fingertips. 

One that sent a shot of flames so close to Merlin’s face he was sure his eyebrows were singed. 

When Arthur saw Merlin’s gobsmacked face filled with fear and the memories of every moment in his life flashing before his eyes, he gave a smug nod and informed Merlin he needed to be getting on with mopping the deck so he could properly address the crew. 

Merlin longed for such control so he could actually singe Arthur’s eyebrows off. It would be an improvement. 

The knights that Arthur commanded joined together under the top deck. Arthur took his position at the wheel next to Leon and greeted them with the Fire Kingdom bow. Every knight bowed back. 

Merlin refused. 

“I thank you all for joining me yet again on our journey. This is not the first time you have left the comforts of Camelot but I hope it to be the last. With every excursion our search narrows. We will soon return to Camelot with our head held high. They burn the torches for our return. We will bring home victory. We will bring home the Immortal One!” 

The knights cheered with their commander. 

Merlin took advantage of the distraction and flicked his hand into the air. A breeze drifted over his brow and cooled the sweat that had pooled there. 

Long live their quest.

Idiots. 


End file.
